Escapement mechanism for line-composing machines.



H. A. ARMSTRONG) ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM FOR LINE CO'MPOSING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 22. 1913.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

ATTORNEY HENRY A. ARMSTRONG, OF BROOKLYN. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL TYPESETTING- MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

Application filed November 22, 1913. Serial No. 802,487.

2 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings-and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Escapement Mechanism for Line- Composing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in line composing machines and more especially to those of the linotype class wherein matrices are assembled in a line from which a slug is cast, and the primary object of the invention is to provide improved escapement mechanism whereby matrices may be released alternately from separate magazine channels by successive actuations of a single or common finger key.

It is frequently desirable in machines of this class to use a larger number of matrices bearing the same character or characters than one channel of, the magazine can accommodate. For this purpose the matrices bearing the same character or characters are contained in two separate channels of the magazine and numerous devices have been made for releasing such matrices alternately from the separate magazine channels by successive operations of a corresponding finger key in order that a double supply of such matrices, usually those most frequently used, can be carried in the magazine. Y

In all devices of this character heretofore proposed each reciprocating escapement which retains and releases the matrices is required to make a complete to and fro movement in order to release a matrix, and this to and fro movement of each escapement must be completed before the other escapement is moved.

In machines of this class each escapement has two retaining pawls one to hold the matrix in a lower or first position and the other to hold the following or succeeding matrix in an upper or second position after the release of a matrix from the lower or first position.

According to the present invention the movements of the escapements are so effected that each escapement makes only onehalf of its complete reciprocating movement for each actuation of the corresponding finger key and the two escapements act in opposite or reverse directions whereby the matrices are released alternately from their respective channels although both escapements move simultaneously. In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 1s a perspective view of matrix releasing mechanlsm constructed in accordance with thepresent invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing means provided by the present lnventlon for shifting the actuating mechanism alternately between the escapements; Fig. 3 shows the retaining detent for the escapement rods as viewed from the right in Fig. 2.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views. The invention as shown in the drawing is applied to a machine of the linotype class wherein the matrices are contained in a magazine and are delivered therefrom under the control of the keyboard. While the preferred construction is shown and will be hereinafter described in detail, it is to be understood that equivalent constructions within the scope of the claims are to be i11- eluded. In the present instance M and M represent matrices contained in the respective channels of the magazine. The delivery of matrices from the magazine channels is controlled by corresponding escapements 1 and 2, these escapements being reciprocable to bring the upper or lower retaining pawls thereonsuccessively into engagement with the upper lugs of the respective matrices. Escapements of different types may be employed, those shown being of the construction fully shown and described in an application of T. S. Homans, Serial No. 707,926, filed July 5, 1912. As shown in Fig. 1, the lower retaining pawl of the escapement l is in engagement with the upper lug of the matrix M, thereby retaining this matrix in what is known as the first position from which position it is released by the next succeeding action of its escapement, while the upper retaining pawl of the escapement 2 is in engagement with the upper lug of the matrix M thereby retaining this matrix in what is known as the second position. If the'escapement 1 is moved into a position corresponding to that occupied by the escapement 2, it will release the matrix M from the magazine and this matrix will be delivered therefrom, the next succeeding matrix in the same magazine channel moving down to a second position corresponding to that occupied by the matrix M in Fig. 1.

If the escapement 2 is moved into a position corresponding to that occupied by the escapement 1, the matrix M will descend to a position corresponding to that occupied by the matrix M.

The present invention provides means whereby each actuation of a finger key of the keyboard causes two escapements, such as those just described, to perform onehalf of their complete reciprocating movement, the escapements moving in opposite or reverse directions to one another whereby a matrix will be released alternately from the respective channels by succeeding actions of the corresponding finger key of the keyboard.

The construction of the means shown in the present instance for accomplishing this result is as follows :3 designates a finger key, the key lever 4 of which is fulcrumed at an intermediate point in its length whereby depression of the finger key will cause rising of the rear end of the key lever, and the rear end of the key lever is operatively connected to a key bar 5. This key bar is operatively connected to a bellcrank 6 which is pivoted at 7 and cooperates with a corresponding cam yoke 8. This cam yoke carries a cam 9 which is rotatable about apivot 10, and the cam yoke is pivoted to a portion 11 of the frame by the pivot pin 12. A roller 13 revolves continuously beneath the cam. The cam yoke is arranged to act upon a plunger 14, the latter being guided to reciprocate vertically in a portion 15 of the frame of the machine, and a link 16 is connected to the plunger, it being pivoted thereto by the pivot pin 17, in the construction shown, whereby the upper end of.

this link may tilt laterally in opposite directions. A pin or projection 18 is fixed to the upper end of the link 16 and this end of the link is preferably guided or held from displacement by a guide 19 which may be fixed to a relatively stationary portion 20 of the machine frame. A rocker 21 is provided, that shown being pivoted to the portion 20 by the pivot pin 22, and this rocker is formed with a longitudinal slot 23 having notches 24 and 25 at or adjacent to the ends of the slot and extending upwardly from the upper wall thereof. A pair of pins 26 and 27 are fixed to the rocker 21, these pins being arranged one at each side of the pivot 22. A pair of vertically movable escapement bars 28 and 29 are provided, the lower ends of these bars having slots 30 and 31 in which the pins 26 and 27 operate. The upper ends of the escapement bars coiiperate with the rearwardly projecting lugs 32 and 33 of the escapements 1 and 2 respectively, upward movement of the escapement bars lifting the lugs on the escapements and thereby actuating the latter in one direction, and the return movements of the escapements are effected by springs as shown in the above-mentioned application. The escapement bars are provided with dogs 34 and 35 which are preferably inclined or beveled at their upper sides and form shoulders at their under sides, and a detent 36 is provided which is adapted to cooperate alternately with these dogs and thereby re-' tain each escapement bar in elevated position. This detent, as shown, is pivotally supported on the stationary portion 20 of the machine frame by the pin 37, and a spring 38 operates to yieldingly press the detent into coperative relation with the dogs on the escapement bars.

The operation of the construction shown may be briefly described as follows:-De pression of the finger key 3 will cause upward movement of the key bar 5. Normally, the cam 9 is supported above or out of engagement. with the revolving roller 13 by the bell-crank 6. \Vhen, however, the key bar 5 is lifted, this bell-crank is turned into a position to release the cam yoke 8, permitting the latter to descend until the cam 9 engages the periphery of the revolving roller 13. Motion is then transmitted from the roller 13 to the cam 9, causing the latter to revolve, and'owing to the shape of said cam, the rear or free end of the cam yoke is lifted causing it to engage and lift the plunger 14. When the plunger is lifted, the pin 18 on the link 16* will move from a position at the lower end of the slot 23 of the rocker 21 upward into the notch in' that end of the 100 rocker, and the continued upward movement of the link will tilt the rocker from the position, for example as shown in Fig. 1, into the reverse position as shown in Fig. 2. This movement of the rocker causes the pin 105 26 thereon to act against the upper end of the slot 30 in the escapement bar 28, causing this escapement bar to rise and act upon the escapement 1 to release the matrix M Also, during this movement of the rocker, 1 0 the pin 27 thereon moves freely in and toward the lower end of the slot 31 in the escapement bar 29, this escapement bar, however, being held in its upper position by the engagement of the detent 36 with the 115 dog 35 until theescapement bar 28 has been lifted to a point where the dog 34 thereon pushes the detent 36 back sufficiently to release the dog 35, the dog 34 being then engaged by the detent 36. The escapement 12!, bar 29 will then drop .to its lower position as shown in Fig. 2, allowing the escapement 2 to be actuated by its sprlng whereby the matrix M will descend to its first position ready to be released upon the next operation of its escapement. After the cam 9 has completed its rotation, the plunger 14 and the link 16 will drop to normal position and this movement of the plunger and link will cause the pin 18 in the latter to slide down mcaeee be operated to release its matrix in thefman- J ner described in connection with the escapement 1. Thus each successive operation of the actuating mechanism produces alternate movements of the escapement bars and their respective escapements, but each escapement receives only halffof its full movement for each complete operation of the actuating mechanism.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination, two reciprocatory matrix escapements, one actuating means therefor, and connections between said actuating means and the escapements whereby one complete motion of the actuating means causes the escapements to move, 1n opposite directions, one-half of their full reciprocating stroke.

2. In combination, two matrix controlling escapements, each having lower and upper retaining pawls adapted to be placed alternately into engaging positions, a single actuating device therefor, and intermediate means for causing a single stroke of the actuating device to reverse the two escapements in opposite directions.

3. The combination with a pair of matrix controlling escapements, of actuating means common to said pair of escapements and operative to cause portions of the reciprocatory movements of the latter in reverse directions simultaneously at each operation means.

4. The combination with a pair of matrix controlling escapements, of actuating means common to said pair of escapements for causing operation of said escapements alternately in reverse directions at each operation of said actuating means.

5. The combination with a pair of matrix controlling escapements each having to and fro reciprocatory movements, of actuating means common to said pair of escapements for moving one of said escapements in a direction to release a matrix andpermitting.

reciprocating movement of the other escapement in a reverse direction at each operation of said means.

6. The combination with a-pair of matrix controlling escapements, of a rocking member cooperative with both escapements, and key-controlled means operative upon said member to cause actuatlon of said escapements alternately in reverse directions.

7. The combination with a pair of matrix controlling escapements, a pair of escapement bars cooperative therewith, a reversible member cooperative with both escapement bars, and key-controlled means operative upon said memberto cause movements of said escapements alternately in reverse directions. I j

8. The combination with a pair of matrix controlling escapements, a pair of escapement bars cooperative therewith, a reversible member cooperative with both escapement bars, and key-controlled means actuating said bars to cause movements of the escapements alternately in reverse directions, anda detent operative to retain said bars alternately in actuated position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. ARMSTRONG. 

